ICPC MONITORS N10.6BN CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS ACROSS NIGER STATE
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has launched an exercise to track N10.6 billion worth of constituency and executive projects approved for 2024 in Niger State.
The initiative covers 65 projects facilitated by senators and members of the House of Representatives across the state.
Mr. Shetiman Saleh, Chief Superintendent of the ICPC Niger Office and Team Lead, explained that the monitoring aims to ensure projects funded with public resources adhere to approved specifications and deliver tangible benefits to host communities.
“The tracking of N10.6 billion in constituency and executive projects is designed to ensure these projects are implemented within their respective communities and in accordance with the Bills of Quantity. We want to prevent abandonment and make sure communities receive value for the funds appropriated,” he said.
The projects include major capital developments, such as hospitals and schools, as well as empowerment initiatives providing sewing machines, grinding machines, laptops, and other work tools.
Saleh noted that the exercise involves physical inspections to verify compliance with approved standards.
“Some projects meet specifications, while others are poorly executed. We document satisfactorily completed projects in our reports, and where there are issues such as abandonment, failure to mobilise, or substandard work, remedial action is taken,” he added.
Remedial measures include instructing contractors to return to sites to complete or correct defects, ensuring communities do not lose the benefits of these projects. In cases where underperformance cannot be corrected, the commission calculates the financial shortfall and recovers the funds into the ICPC recovery account for the Federal Government.
“Where components are either incomplete or substandard and cannot be rectified, we compute the level of underperformance and recover the corresponding funds. Prosecution of erring contractors is also considered where necessary,” Saleh explained.
He urged community members to take ownership of projects in their areas and hold elected officials accountable.
“These projects belong to the communities. Citizens should inquire about projects allocated to their areas, especially those that are started but not completed, and follow up to ensure full delivery,” he added.
Among the projects monitored are the rehabilitation of a block of four classrooms with offices and furnishings at Abubakar Dada Secondary School, Paiko; 1.5 kilometres of Old Market Road, Paiko; supply of educational materials to UK Bello Memorial Primary School, Paiko; and the provision of solar streetlights in Chanchaga and Paikoro Local Government Areas.
Other inspected projects include the installation of pipes and fittings for the Paiko Water Project, facilitated by Sen. Sani Musa representing Niger East Senatorial District, and the construction, furnishing, and equipping of a 250-bed General Hospital with doctors’ quarters, solar inverter, and borehole in Latch Phase 1 by Rep. Saidu Abdullahi of the Bida/Katcha/Gbako Federal Constituency, among others.
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